2012 Christmas Card (Part 2)

For a very long time, I have sent Christmas cards to good friends every year. Ever since I started making my personal Christmas card creations, I have included a card in a card. Silly, I know. This year conspired against that tradition in so many ways that it inspired change… and the following poem. So now there’s just a card, and… well, the following as an explanatory enclosure:

‘Twas the week after Christmas
 
by David Alan Hoag  --  December 26, 2012

‘Twas the week after Christmas; the month had been hard
And to my dismay, I’d mailed nary a card.
Insane overtime; all while singing “Rudolf”
Then (can you believe it?!?) my boss makes me golf!

Hang all of the house lights; no down-time for me,
Fetch stuff from the rafters then assemble the tree.
Untangle the tree lights that mess with my head
For once one bulb is fixed, the next one is dead!

The shopping, the baking; but then I needn’t boast
Except for a small bit, my dear wife does the most.
Now… boxing and wrapping… not something I do;
A small point of fact: My wife does all that, too!

Then grandkids arrive and things really get busy
With pick-ups and drop-offs, it makes one quite dizzy.
I’d describe every detail, but that would take years
And suffice it to say, you’d be quite bored to tears.

And Christmas IS NOT all the stuff that’s on sale,
Or staying on schedule with cards in the mail.
It’s sharing God’s message of LOVE, PEACE, and JOY
And God’s GIFT to the world… in a small baby boy.

You might think that I’m late with my message this year,
But, I say that I’m early with Holiday cheer.
When I say this is early, well here’s what I mean:
Merry Christmas to you… in two thousand  thirteen!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

2012 Christmas Card (Part 1)

Christmas is come and gone.

Since 1997, I’ve handed out my Christmas card creations to everybody that I can connect with. If you missed getting a card from me this Christmas at Messiah, it’s because I’m no longer partnered in ministry there. I still extend my Christmas message to everyone I see during this season… at the market, pumping gas, at work, at the post office… everywhere. This blog allows me to connect with a few other people, too. If you simply MUST have this year’s card in physical form, just email me, and I will send you a pdf file that you can print out, fold, and then hold in your hot little hand. For everyone else, here is this year’s Christmas card from me:

Front:

Seasons Rememberings...

 

Inside:

Seasons Rememberings

by David Alan Hoag  –  October 17, 2012

It’s hard to remember
This time of the year
Precisely why
We’re all wishing “Good Cheer!”

It’s hard to remember;
Is this the Season?
The Kwanzaa time,
For sharing and reason?

It’s hard to remember;
Is Hanukkah here?
Dreidels and food
And Menorahs appear.

It’s hard to remember;
Has Ashura passed?
I must recall
Did I mourn with a fast?

It’s hard to remember;
With reindeer and sleigh
Flooding the stores
Since before Labor Day!

It’s hard to remember;
Dozens of choices.
How can you choose
With so many voices?

Your heart can remember;
A star up above.
With a small babe…
God redeemed us, with love.

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Merry Christmas to You!

Remember the peace, love, joy, and healing
that was embodied in the birth of a baby so long ago.

If we open our hearts, that spirit can fill us, too.

The real Christmas present
is the one many of us forget to unwrap,
and even if we do, we often neglect to try it on.

It’s guaranteed to fill any sized heart.

May Christmas bring you…
love, peace, and uncontainable joy
to fill your heart, and your New Year, too!

Dave Hoag

Transition

Transitions can be quite jarring when they are abrupt. One minute you are sailing along and everything is just fine, and in an instant everything can be turned upside down! Transitions are a part of life, and while we’d all like to be in control of our life transitions, we usually are not.

Last Sunday I left the ministry I had partnered with for close to 20 years. It’s strange and sad that I’m no longer a part of ministries and lives at Messiah, but God’s Holy Spirit has led me away. It is unclear to me, as yet, where God’s Spirit is leading me, but I will move forward in faith; embracing every opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus.

To all my friends at Messiah: I love you all and I’m already missing you all!

Not to worry, though, this blog will go on as before. I just won't have a link through Messiah's web site, and I won't be promoting events and fellowship opportunities as much. So bookmark this blog in your favorites as an easy way to find your way back in.

I’ll post more information on how this transition was thrust upon me in my next post in a few days. It'll be an interesting read, so subscribe now so you don't miss any updates.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

A Light in the World

My friend, Kathy Godshalk, died last week. I’ve known Kathy and her husband Ron since when we all worked together at Hughes Aircraft in the early eighties. On September 30^th, 2012, she succumbed to her 17-month battle with cancer. Kathy was an amazing woman who generously shared her talents, her love, and the light of her faith with everyone in the world around her. I feel a profound sense of loss with the news of her passing.  I will miss her smile, her hugs, her laugh, and the depth of her love; a love she shared with everyone… a love you were richer to have experienced.

Pastor Bob Mooney, a man of great faith, and even greater sensitivity, was with Kathy and her family at her last moments here on Earth. He has graciously permitted me to publish his thoughts of those few moments here:

“Yesterday afternoon the family and friends gathered around the bedside of Kathy Godshalk in ICU. Kathy is in her early 50's, married to Ron for 29 years, two great kids and a wonderful daughter in law. Kathy is a college math teacher and perhaps the sweetest kindest person I have ever met. My daughter described her this way, "Dad there is Mother Teresa, and just above her there is Kathy." We listened to the doctor compassionately tell us it was time to take her off the ventilator, stop the dialysis, and prepare to say our final goodbyes. He said he did not know how long she would continue to breathe on her own after that. We joined our hands and through the tears thanked God for Kathy's life, we prayed for her family, and that she would peacefully step into the loving embrace of her Lord, waiting on the other side to make her whole again, waiting to greet her with the words "well done, my good and faithful servant!”  Just As we ended the prayer and said amen, before anything had been disconnected, Kathy peacefully took her last breath and gently slipped into the loving embrace of her Lord. A beautiful life by our understanding taken from us way to soon. A woman of faith whose life we celebrate. In Africa they love to say, "God is good all time, all the time God is good". So today through our pain and sadness, through all the things we don't understand, through our anger and disappointment of a life taken to soon, we lean on and trust in a God of faithfulness, a God bigger than our questions, bigger than our anger, bigger than death, a God who walked with Kathy through all of her joys and sorrows in this life and who is embracing Kathy now in heaven, the God who has made her whole, and who promises to walk through this "valley of the shadow of death" with her husband Ron, her children Ryan and Kara, her parents , her brother, and all her family and her friends. Please continue to hold Ron, Ryan, Kara, and their family in your prayers.”

You can read more of Kathy’s background, and what her colleagues at Cypress College had to say about her at:

http://news.cypresscollege.edu/blog/201210.htm#KathyGodshalk

CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR KATHY GODSHALK

 

Saturday, October 13^th, 2012
Messiah Lutheran Church, 4861 Liverpool St, Yorba Linda, CA

 

Viewing: 9:30 am to 10:30 am
Memorial Service: 11:00 am
Reception: Following the service
Interment: 4:00 pm (family and close friends only, please) Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Covina Hills

 

Kathy is gone, and the world has lost a single light. But Kathy’s light shone so brightly, and with such love, that it has sparked innumerable new lights as she quietly changed the world, the people, and the hearts around her. My sister in Christ has left the world a more caring, a more loving, and a much brighter place. I celebrate your life, Kathy!

Your Brother In Christ,

Dave

Warning

WARNING to all my Facebook friends: Beware of Social Engineering attacks that can compromise you, your friends, your co-workers, and your family.

Be especially cautious of “friending” people on Facebook who YOU DON’T KNOW PERSONALLY. This recently happened to me, but I recognized the attack when it came, and I’m now trying to alert all my friends… that YOU may be targeted by the same attacker. Here’s how it works, and what to look out for:

Initial Attack:
Somebody sends you a “Friend Request” on Facebook. You weren’t born yesterday, so you don’t accept Friend Requests from people you don’t know, but you think that perhaps you know this person from work, school, church, or someplace else, so… you check out their Facebook page. There, you notice that several of your friends are friends with this person (in my case, the attacker’s name was Daisy Arnold, so let’s use that name from here on out). I was probably in a hurry, and once I saw that Daisy was friends with several people I know well, I figured she must be a new acquaintance and Accepted. This is where I messed up. DO NOT accept Friend Requests from people YOU DO NOT KNOW IN REAL LIFE!

You might be asking: “So what’s the harm? Maybe I just forgot meeting her. Perhaps she follows my blog. Maybe she’s new to Facebook, and thinks that you NEED a lot of friends.” All good questions, and all questions that Social Engineers count on you asking. Their goal is just to get you to invite them in. Here’s what happens once you Accept them (in my case Daisy Arnold) as a friend:

The Sneak Attack:
Once Daisy’s your friend (remember, they use MANY fake names, pictures, and personal information), ALL of your personal information you make available for your friends is hers for the taking. That may include your full name, birthdate, telephone, home address, place of employment, educational background, and all information about your children and family. You might even present them with your travel itineraries and information about your most recent purchases. Would an identity thief strike gold on your Facebook page? But that’s not the worst of it. Besides mining all your accessible personal information, they will mine your list of friends to begin:

The Sneakier Attack:
Mind you, Daisy (or whatever name is used) is not carrying out this attack by herself. Black Hat software designed for these types of attacks will be executing on hundreds of computers, worldwide, to replicate this attack thousands of times over… often without the computer owner’s knowledge. Once daisy has access to your list of friends on Facebook, she will Friend Request them. With this type of geometric progression, it doesn’t take long for Daisy to collect a large number of new friends that have MANY connections to her, so you may be easily fooled by her next attack:

The Damage Attack:
At this point, Daisy posts a link for you to check out, or a link to a fun new game app, or a link to a site where you can get free stuff (music, computers, etc.). Daisy sent a link to what looked like a porn site. If you follow the link, it’s pretty much all over for you, your computer, and your identity. Virtually every step you take from this point forward will be loading malware into your computer. Malware can take many forms, from using your computer to broadcast spam, to logging your every keystroke, to destroying your data, to any number of illegal uses that you would not be aware of.

What Can You Do?
First, unfriend the Daisy’s you have let in. She still mined information from your page, but at least now, she can’t use YOU to sucker any more of your friends into accepting her as a friend.

Second, NEVER click on any site that you haven’t checked out! Your friends are sometimes easily scammed, so if it looks or feels wrong… it probably is.

Third, NEVER click through on a new Facebook app or site from a friend’s link! If it’s real, you can get to it from a trusted source (like Facebook)… more likely, the link you click from a friend will take you down a rabbit hole. Many of my friends have ignored my advice in this area for years; most have no idea that ALL of their links, apps, games, and videos they send me don’t make it past my first level of filters. You can lead a horse to water… yada, yada, yada.

Last But Not Least!
Consider this:

1.     If your computer is running noticeably slower, even for simple tasks, you are probably infected with malware.

2.     If your CPU performance is high when you are doing nothing, you are probably infected with malware.

3.     If you’ve ever downloaded free music or videos, you are probably infected with malware.

4.     If you have ever copied any game, music, or program off of a memory stick or CD, you are probably infected with malware.

If you are infected, there are several ways to eradicate malware and viruses. I’m not promoting any brand of anti-virus or anti-malware software, but unless you are one… you should let a computer professional handle it; much like professional extermination.

Oh, one more thing: Daisy Arnold is NOT my friend. If you are a Facebook friend of mine, I apologize if you have been friended by her because she gained access to my friends list. Mea Culpa!

YBIC,

Dave

Well Done, Good and faithful Servant

On Monday morning, while reading through my email at work, I was shot in the gut!

Well… not literally, but that’s what it felt like as I read that my friend and co-worker, Jeff Larson, had died the day before. I kept reading the email over and over, hoping to discover that it was just a cruel joke of some kind; it wasn’t.

Jeff was just 52, seemingly healthy and fit, full of life, and the friendliest and most loving guy you’d every hope to meet. I’d known Jeff for the past 6 years, and I was his friend. Of course, Jeff was that rare individual that was friends with EVERYONE! And that was no mean feat, seeing that Jeff was the Director of Quality for Invensys Nuclear.

That everybody loved Jeff was evident in the outpouring of emotion from the hundreds of people who came to his funeral service today. I had poured out my grief and my feelings in a poem, and as family and longtime friends spoke, they remembered all of the same great qualities that I knew in Jeff. Here’s the poem:


True Quality

By David Alan Hoag – September 11, 2012

In Remembrance of Jeffrey Larson;
March 7, 1960 – September 9, 2012

Jeff Larson shared our workday life
And though, not on his team
With Jeff, you always knew that you
Were held in high esteem.

“Let’s fix the problem,” he would say,
“And not affix the blame.”
“Let’s all improve, and learn, and grow,
And not just stay the same.”

A humble guy, with ready smile
Who’d stop along his way
To talk with you, and share his laugh;
Jeff brightened up our day.

His energy: all positive.
He’d lift us when we’d fall.
And he’d share his joy in passing,
Encouraging us all.

A runner… healthy, trim, and fit;
Up running with the dawn.
But none shall know the time or place,
And just like that… he’s gone.

This hollow void, this sudden death;
In time, the wound will mend.
But now, my heart cries out in loss,
For Jeff… who called me “friend.”


Afterward, we all gathered in The Pines Park. On a hot day, on the bluffs of San Clemente, people continued to share their stories of Jeff: his love of life, his encouragement, his friendship, his joy, and his love. It was evident that Jeff was a Christian that had lived his life adhering to Christ’s command to “love one another.”

Jeff died while training for a half-marathon. I have no doubt that he ran right into the arms of Christ, who surely spoke these words to Jeff: “You have run your race. Well done, good and faithful servant!”

I’m blessed to know so many brothers and sisters in Christ who are like Jeff in spirit, who constantly seek a deeper relationship with God, and who continually pour their love out into the world. I’m humbled to know them, and I’m encouraged by this “cloud of witnesses” to continue to run my race.

I pray that you have a Jeff in your life to encourage you to run YOUR race!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Live Like That

My friend, Michelle, posted a video by the Christian group… Sidewalk Prophets. I’d heard the song before, but it suddenly had new meaning for me when I saw the music video.
I saw all the pictures. Were they the needy… who needed ministry? Or were they all ministers… reflecting, sharing, and teaching some aspect of Christ’s love?
There are people in my life that mentor me spiritually. Most of them know what a blessing I consider them to be in my life. Here are some of the people who make me… want to Live Like That:

Jim and Nancy Herrick, Ron Ball, Mark Gorman, Diehl Martin, John Podzus, Elizabeth Lambert, Paul Lanier, Bob Mooney, Chloe Lewis, Ron Baesler, Nuell Lunde, Jim Cory, Monica Martin, Michelle Ehrenberg, Kim Rehme, Shelia Bates, Jennifer Jerkins, Jeffrey Delgado, and many others.

I see THEIR faces reflected in the faces of the music video.



Who are the people in your life that inspire you… guide you… mentor you… or challenge you? Whose faces do you see reflected in the faces of the music video? Do they know how much they reflect the love of Christ into your life? Tell them that they make a difference in your life. Tell them how their love, commitment, and faith… make YOU… want to LIVE LIKE THAT!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Jesus, Friend of Sinners

It almost seems that every day I hear about one Christian group or another that is protesting or condemning someone. They carry placards, they chant slogans, they intrude on the funerals of fallen soldiers, they harass frightened and confused young women, and they condemn and shut out or shun anyone whose sexual lifestyle isn’t what they believe to be right. They practice intolerance and cast judgment, and… from news footage I have seen… they bring their children with them to wave placards and chant hateful accusations right alongside them; ensuring that their doctrine of intolerance is infused into a new generation.

I just don’t understand how it’s possible to love God, and love your neighbor when you are in your neighbor’s face, shouting: “You will surely burn in Hell!”

The group, Casting Crowns, has a new song out that speaks to all this. I encourage you to really listen to the lyrics.



There is a place in Yorba Linda, California…. a fellowship of sinners, who are learning to see the plank in our own eye, to drop our stones, and to love one another. It’s called Messiah Lutheran Church. Have you avoided church because of something that someone has condemned you for? Come experience and share in the forgiveness that is found in the love and mercy of Jesus. Come find redemption. Come find me… and meet a fellow sinner. Come experience God’s incredible love in YOUR life!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

From the Mouths of Babes

Saturday night, I had a heated theological argument with a 4-year old.

My daughter, Jennifer, and Henry, her husband, flew in for a 2-day visit this past weekend. Her 2 boys were crazy excited to be at Grammy and Pop-pop’s, so you might guess that bedtime was a bit of a challenge. After Grammy is done reading them stories, it is often left to Pop-Pop (me) to actually get them to sleep.

What worked for 4-year old Jeffrey also works for his brother, Bob, who is almost a year old… I sing to them. Now, I have been described as being a ‘prison singer’, which is defined as: “Being behind a few bars, and having no hope of finding the right key.” My grandsons haven’t developed a critical ear yet, so they don’t complain. That I make up my own words (because I can’t remember the actual lyrics) does not seem to faze them in the least. I’m pretty sure it’s not what I sing, just the fact that I rock them in the big recliner/rocker while I make melodic noises.

So there I was: Bob trying to fight off sleep on my chest, and Jeffrey squirming in his bed next to us. I had just finished singing The House of the Rising Sun (one of their favorite lullabies), when Jeffrey said: “Sing one more song, Pop-pop. Please!”

Hoping to get little Bob to finally drift off in slumber, I started singing: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”

To which Jeffrey interjected “NO HE DOESN’T.”

“Sure He does, Jeffrey,” I replied, and then restarted the song: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”

Jeffrey again interrupted me with: “NO HE DOESN’T, POP-POP!”

“Yes, yes He does, Jeffrey,” I replied, perplexed at his insistence. One more time, I restarted the song: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”

Sitting up in bed, Jeffrey instructed his clearly confused grandfather: “Pop-pop, Jesus doesn’t just love YOU, He loves EVERYONE!”

I was stunned! This time, when I restarted the song, I sang: “Jesus loves us, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”

And a miracle occurred: Bob had drifted off to sleep! After putting him in his crib, I turned to tuck Jeffrey in one final time. Having fulfilled his commission, he was now sound asleep, too.

I invite you to heed the theological teaching of my grandson… know that Jesus loves US… and experience the complete peace His love brings into our lives.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Grace

Today, at Sunday worship, Pastor Bob’s awesome message was on God’s grace. He punctuated what he was sharing with a powerful little video from The Skit Guys (Tommy Woodard and Eddie James).



So many of us are like Peter… thinking that we have to work off some sin or another in our life. Sometimes that burden has been placed on us by a church or religious organization. You can’t earn God’s grace. You can’t get God’s grace by belonging to the right club (or you might say: church). It’s not by our works that we are saved, but by the grace of God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we are saved by His grace.

Years ago, I learned an acrostic that that describes grace:

          God’s
          Redemption
          At
          Christ’s
          Expense

No matter what your situation is, come join us at Messiah. Your freedom has already been bought and paid for! Come experience the peace and joy that come with God’s grace. Come worship with us… come fellowship with us… come throw off the burden of sin and guilt. Come experience the Living Water of Christ in the Spirit filled community of believers that is Messiah Lutheran Church here in Yorba Linda, California.

Look me up on Sunday. I look forward to the blessing of your presence!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Learning to be the Light

This song by, by newworldson, has the bouncy, excited beat I feel with Christ alive in me. See if you don’t agree.


Every day, I pray that there’s a little less of me and a bit more of God. If only I can keep the theme of this song in my heart, and not stress about what I can do or say, but just learn to be the light… of God’s redemption, of God’s peace, and of God’s love.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Stand Up

My sister-in-law, Kate Dodge Hoag, just posted this personal account on Facebook. It’s a great Easter story, so even though I just put up a post, this one is going up, too (with permission).


----------------------------------


Saturday, April 7th, 10:36 PM. continuing from 3:08 PM ...

The train left the station as scheduled. A recorded voice announced the next stops as the train coursed through city after city. It was a comfortable ride and I was just thinking that it would be a pleasant way to travel an extensive distance when a young man came crashing down the steps from the upper deck. His shirt was torn, his face cut and bloodied with one whole side grossly swollen. He shouted, "I gotta get off this train! Stop the train! I gotta get outa' here! Man, I gotta get outa' here NOW! "

The crowd sat in stiff silence and gawked at him. I sat frozen in fear and clutched my purse closer. Where in God's name was the person in charge here? Isn't somebody supposed to DO SOMETHING?! Why were we all just sitting there dumbfounded as the terrified man stumbled through the aisle to the back of the train?

Seconds later his aggressor tumbled down the stairway. He righted himself and stood weaving back and forth searching above our heads for his prey. He was older and stockier than his victim. He wore no shoes, just tattered grey socks with ratty shorts and a dirty t-shirt. The smooth voice of the canned conductor announced our approaching arrival to the end of the line. The last stop of this train: San Bernardino.

It didn't seem like the train was slowing down at all. When was the train going to stop so we could get the hell off? Meanwhile, the predator groaned and shook his head. It appeared that he wasn't certain of where he was. His eyes were squeezed shut, he groaned louder. Suddenly he bent forward and rammed his head and shoulders smack into the glass doorways of the frontal left exit. The doors banged loudly but did not give way. The man backed up again and repeatedly rammed his head into the doors. First on the left exit then on the right. The doors banged loudly but held firm.
His attack did not seem to hurt him at all. Finally, he stood at the center of the aisle and spoke. "Where is he?” Utter silence beckoned him to repeat louder: "WHERE IS HE!?" Still no one offered a response. Then he started slowly walking down the aisle.

Something finally happened with the passengers. People started standing up. Don't get me wrong, we/I stood up, but not TO this mad man. People stood up and started backing away against the walls to LET him pass by them. Still no one said a thing. The man was like an angry bull slowly gathering adrenaline as he moved towards the back of the train. He looked no one in the eye, but looked around them, searching for the injured young man.

San Bernardino's arrival was announced once again. The train slowed down and the metal against metal screech of the brakes drowned out the frantic mutterings of passengers now converging towards the exits. All of a sudden the predator could go nowhere! He was trapped by a swarm of people anxious to get off the train at their earliest opportunity. He was now inconvenienced by all of us. Our immediate need was to get off the train and remove ourselves from the situation. It was time to do something. Get up; take care of ourselves by getting away from there. He was stuck in the middle of the crowd. He was immobilized. He couldn't move.

In concern for our OWN safety, we had managed to inadvertently stop the predator in his tracks, preventing him from reaching the man he had beaten so badly. Christ must have been watching over the man who was scared and suffering. We surely didn't. It was by our own selfish needs to get off that train that the young man managed to get away.

I had my first real live train ride on Good Friday. I didn't want to look like a tourist, so I went along with the crowd and tried to blend in. I did such a good job that I am ashamed.

Note: When the exits opened, everyone poured out of the train. The young man who was beaten had returned to the top deck and was able to escape via the front doors. His attacker was pushed out the door by the throng of people exiting at the rear of the train. I saw the young man running freely away from the station. The attacker was still stuck outside in the crowd. He was rather short and could not see above those standing around him.

Amazing what we/I can do to thwart a bad situation by simply standing up instead of sitting on our/my butt(s) watching and worrying about who is in charge to do the right thing.

----------------------------------

Amen, Sister, amen!

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

It’s Only a Quarter

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, “You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.” Then he thought, “Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.”

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, “Here, you gave me too much change.”

The driver, with a smile, replied, “Aren't you the new preacher in town?”

“Yes” he replied.

“Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.”

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, “Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.”

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard… and remember… you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself 'Christian.'

God bless you.

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It’s an old story that my friend Heather had posted on Facebook. It is very true that people will watch what you do, if you profess to be a Christian. They WANT to catch you slipping up, so they can justify their own behavior. Some people have used the popular WWJD bracelets (What Would Jesus Do) to remind them to be PERFECT. That doesn’t work for very long; probably why the bracelets have waned in popularity.

Here it is Easter again, and I’m reminded that Jesus died for ALL our sins… not just mine. As His followers, he gives us a simple command:

Love God, and love one another.

It’s unbelievably simple! Why do we persist in embellishing what Jesus said with what WE WANT to do?

He didn’t say: “Love power.”
He said: “Love God.”

He didn’t say: “Love wealth.”
He said: “Love God.”

He didn’t say: “Judge others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Be unforgiving.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Condemn others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Exclude others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Give up on others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Ignore the pain and suffering of others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

He didn’t say: “Be like all the others.”
He said: “Love one another.”

In all the ways we are uncaring, judgmental, ignorant, and unseeing…
He said: “Love one another.”

I don’t mean to condemn you, but to have you love with the new heart that Jesus gives us, for… as the sun rises on Easter morning, we rejoice that Jesus took all our sin on Himself, died to OUR sin and death, and now stands before the empty tomb of OUR lives to offer us the Way and the Life. In our own weakness, our walk with Jesus will never be perfect. We will trip. We will stumble. But it is NOT in our strength that we walk with our Lord. It is only by the strength of God’s Holy Spirit… that we are able to offer the love, acceptance, understanding, and salvation of Christ to one another.

Happy Resurrection Day! Happy Easter!

Christ is risen! He has risen, indeed!

Your brother in Christ,


Dave


When I Say…

Many of my Christian friends send emails that aggravate me. Oh, in their mind, they are passing along something they feel is inspirational or uplifting… and it often is. The aggravating part is that they seldom (read: NEVER) bother to check out what they send, verify the source, or remove the ubiquitous email wrapper that usually contains a false lead-in and concludes with a call to send the message on to everyone you care about.

Today, the email was to let me know that it is Christian Person Week.

Officially, THERE IS NO SUCH THING!

What followed that false statement was an unaccredited poem that turned out to be originally written by Carol Wimmer. Part of the reason that the original author of the email did not give Carol credit for her beautiful poem is that the anonymous email author changed just about every line of Carol’s poem! Here is Carol’s poem in its original form:

When I say, “I am a Christian”

by Carol Wimmer - Copyright 1988

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not shouting, “I’ve been saved!”
I’m whispering, “I get lost!
That’s why I chose this way”

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I don’t speak with human pride
I’m confessing that I stumble -
needing God to be my guide

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong
I’m professing that I’m weak
and pray for strength to carry on

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success
I’m admitting that I’ve failed
and cannot ever pay the debt

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I don’t think I know it all
I submit to my confusion
asking humbly to be taught

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect
My flaws are far too visible
but God believes I’m worth it

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartache
which is why I seek His name

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I do not wish to judge
I have no authority
I only know I’m loved


On her site, Carol explains the history of her poem:

My heart was heavy as I wrote the poem, When I say, “I am a Christian.” The year was 1988. I had begun to sense an increasing societal resentment toward the attitude of self-righteousness that has been adopted by so many Christians. I knew such behavior was and is a perversion of Christianity. Thus the sentiment of the poem was born out of my personal awareness of this perversion and the heartache it can cause in our pluralistic society.

I jotted down my thoughts with an inner determination to define the Christian spirit as I wished to experience it. The resulting words formed a reflection of my own beliefs and the reputation I hoped to secure for myself. Four years later, I sent the poem to 5 different publishers. As a result of its first publication in 1992, someone placed the poem on the Internet where it miraculously began taking on a life of its own.

From Manila to South Africa; Australia to Singapore; Finland to Bahrain—I’ve received e-mails from people all over the world who express a common desire to walk humbly with God. Therefore I owe a sincere “Thank You” to the unknown person who originally posted the poem on the Internet and the countless number of readers who have subsequently passed this simple expression on to others.

Used with permission; Carol Wimmer.

For more information about Carol, she has a web site at:

                http://carolwimmer.com/

How do YOU say: “I am a Christian”?

Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Fortune Teller

Several of my friends have discovered an online app (application, for the uninitiated) called: Fortune Teller. It’s a humorous app that ties into Facebook, and predicts… where you will be in 20 years. I’m pretty sure that all MY friends are intelligent enough to realize that this online, social media predictor of their future is no more accurate than, say… a spiritualist, a card reader, or Magic Eight Ball. Depending on how you respond to the app, it will predict that you will be:  

• A millionaire;
• Locked up;
• Divorced;
• Famous;
• Pregnant… AGAIN?!?

You get the idea. It made me chuckle, and it certainly elicits some interesting responses in Facebook… as people either agree, or disagree with the prediction. Hahahaha! Often they offer up their own counter-prediction. But that’s kind of what these types of apps are designed to do: not actually predict anything, but generate comments, discussions, and dialog.

 

Now, I’m not promoting this particular app; quite the contrary! I never personally used the app, since it takes you to an unsecure site, requires that you grant it access to your Facebook account, and hence, gains access to all of your Facebook information. Like many apps of this type, it may be perfectly innocuous, but I rarely place my computer at risk… at least not knowingly.

 

But it did get me thinking. Where will I be in the future? I’m old enough that I can consider the prospect of NOT living forever. What will MY eternity be like? Well, I have a prediction.

 

My prediction stems from my inviting Christ into my life, and from allowing Jesus to strengthen my faith… even in my weakness. My prediction comes from spending time in God’s Word and with God’s people and hearing the promise that the creator and sustainer of the universe loves me. KNOWING THAT, my prediction is:

 

God willing, I'll be touring the nebula, star systems, black holes, and other amazing astronomical phenomenon of the universe. I wonder... do you think Sagan, Einstein, or da Vinci lead tours or workshops? I mean, how much time can you spend in the mansion… no matter how nice? But who knows? An app? 

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”  -- 1 Corinthians 13:12 King James Version (KJV)

 

What does your eternity look like? I may not really be able to predict mine, but I do know… that through Jesus… I will come to the Father. And THAT… will be glorious!

 

Your brother in Christ,

 

Dave

Only a Man

Thank you, God.

Do I tell you that enough, Lord? Probably not... definitely not! Do I come to you in prayer enough? Talk with you? Share with you? Lay my burdens down at your feet? Again… probably not… definitely not!

Thank you, Lord, for friends that share their heart, their lives, their delights, and their music with us on Facebook. They plant seeds without trying, they melt icy hearts without design, and they spread the Gospel message of God’s great love without any theological training or ideology.

Thank you, Jesus, for coming into my life. Thank you for enriching it with a continual blessing of friends who reflect your love and encouragement. Specifically, for this, thank you for the enduring faith and beautiful talent of Stacey Baltes, the Facebook video of zanna726, and the talent and voice of Jonny Lang.

When I tend to overthink and complicate things, to worry about what to say and how to witness, thank you for reminding me of the simplicity of the words of Jesus: “Just follow me.”

Thank you for not giving up on ANY of us. Thank you for continuing to call out to me… moment by moment.

Thank you, God!

Dave

Hold My Heart

How often are we adrift on a sea of pain? The Christian group, Tenth Avenue North, looks at that pain from a very personal perspective… and some moving lyrics. Judging by the large number of music videos on YouTube that use this song, it would seem that the lyrics resonate with a lot of people… people who are in pain… who feel afraid, and alone… and people who are adrift in a sea of painful questions for which they have no answers.

Of course, it’s not about nice neat answers, explanations, or even religious doctrines… it comes down to accepting that Christ has already paid for our deliverance, and through HIM, and ONLY THROUGH KNOWING AND ACCEPTING HIM, can we come to a place where God can hold our heart.

Listen… can you hear Christ call YOUR name? As you watch the video, pay close attention to the lyrics, and then listen with your heart.


Hold My Heart
Performed by Tenth Avenue North
Written by: Mike Donehey, Phillip Larue, and Jason Ingram
Video by cindy4gsus

How long must I pray, must I pray to You?
How long must I wait, must I wait for You?
How long 'till I see Your face, see You shining through?
I'm on my knees, begging You to notice me.
I'm on my knees, Father, will You turn to me?

One tear in the dropping rain,
One voice in a sea of pain
Could the Maker of the stars
Hear the sound of my breaking heart?
One life, is all I am
Right now I can barely stand
If You're everything You say You are
Would You come close and hold my heart?

I've been so afraid, afraid to close my eyes
So much can slip away before I say goodbye
But if there's no other way, I'm done asking why.
Cause I'm on my knees, begging You to turn to me.
I'm on my knees, Father, will You run to me?

One tear in the dropping rain,
One voice in a sea of pain
Could the Maker of the stars
Hear the sound of my breaking heart?
One life, is all I am
Right now I can barely stand
If You're everything You say You are
Would You come close and hold my heart?

So many questions without answers, Your promises remain
I can't see but I'll take my chances to hear You call my name
To hear You call my name

One tear in the dropping rain,
One voice in a sea of pain
Could the Maker of the stars
Hear the sound of my breaking heart?
One life, is all I am
Right now I can barely stand
If You're everything You say You are
Would You come close and hold my heart?

Hold my heart, would you hold my heart?
Hold my heart.


Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Step Out of the Boat

Save the date…

Messiah Men’s Conference
April 13-14, 2012

The theme is: “Step Out of the Boat.”

Men… are you ready for a challenge? Are you looking for new focus? Are you fired up to serve? Are you prepared to be changed?

Join us on the campus of Messiah Lutheran Church for a powerful speaker, stimulating workshops, great food, and manly conversation.


Keynote Speaker: Keith Rhodes

Keith Rhodes

• CEO of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Orange County;
• Grew up in rural Alaska;
• Recruited to play basketball and football at Grambling;
• Recruited to play for the NFL;
• Endured the devastation of Hurricane Katrina;
• Worked with abused and neglected children in various levels of residential care for 20 years;
• Holds degrees in Criminal Justice and Criminology, with an emphasis in Juvenile Delinquency and Domestic Terrorism;
• Has worked with counterdrug taskforce and gang suppression in 87 cities over the past 20 years, and also trains federal, State, and local law enforcement worldwide.

Keith has a great personal story and a great challenge for every man!

Your $20 ticket includes Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, and all workshops and materials.

Register:

• Online at http://www.messiahyl.com
• At the Messiah Church office;
• At the registration table on Sunday.